


Secret

by rachlovesligers



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Secret Relationship, Steggy Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-30 01:15:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17214290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachlovesligers/pseuds/rachlovesligers
Summary: Steve and Peggy try their best to keep their blossoming relationship private while working in the busy London offices of the SSR.





	Secret

**Author's Note:**

  * For [doctorhelena](https://archiveofourown.org/users/doctorhelena/gifts).



> This is my Steggy Secret Santa gift for doctorhelena, I hope you enjoy it!

It was drawing close to the fourth hour of their meeting, and Steve was slowly losing the will to live. He hated meetings like these. He knew they were important, they needed to plan their next steps, go over their failures, but he itched to get back to the action.

 

Bucky and Morita were scrutinising a corner of the map, pushing a pin back and forth, clearly disagreeing over something, while Philips sat slouched in his chair, glaring at the notes laid out in front of him. His expression made it clear no one was to interrupt his thought process.

 

The scrape of a chair across the floor caught Steve’s attention, and he looked up to see Peggy walk across the room. She stopped at the table in the corner, cluttered with stained coffee cups and food crumbs, and leant against it, hips flush against the wooden edge. He watched her touch the side of the tea pot with the back of her hand, checking the temperature. Clearly it was up to scratch, because she searched through the piles of crockery to find a clean cup and saucer, and poured herself a cup of tea.

 

Watching her lost in thought, absently stirring the teaspoon, Steve was brought back to the night he’d spent in her flat only a few days ago.

 

_Peggy rolled out of bed, half conscious, and found Steve’s shirt crumpled on the floor. She wrapped it around her bare body and inhaled deeply, smiling to herself. He got the impression she wasn’t aware of being watched, but warmth coursed through him at the sight of her wrapped up in his shirt, he couldn’t tear his eyes away._

 

_She padded over to the small kitchenette and set the kettle on the stove. Steve ached to hold her. When the water was boiled Peggy poured herself a cup, stirring the teaspoon absently, her hips pressed against the counter._

 

_“Would you like a cup?”_

 

_Her question surprised Steve, he wondered at what point she’d noticed him watching her. He stood up and pulled on his boxers before walking over to her._

 

_He pressed himself against her back, wrapping his arms around her waist._

 

_“No thanks.”_

 

_He planted a kiss on the top of her head and loved the way she sighed in response._

 

“Rogers!”

 

Steve jumped at the sound of Philips’ gravelly voice.

 

“I’m not going to ask you again.”

 

He felt a cold panic run through him, and looked around the room for some clue as to what he’d missed.

 

“We shouldn’t make ourselves easy targets for the sake of an easier route,” Peggy replied calmly, walking over to the map, cup and saucer in hand. “I think the safest route is through the mountains, even if the terrain is treacherous.” She highlighted the route on the map with her perfectly manicured crimson nail. It helped Steve quickly catch up to speed.

 

“Agent Carter’s right, it won’t be easy, but the mountains will offer us better protection from enemy fire.”

 

His answer seemed to placate Philips, and the meeting carried on. Steve nodded at Peggy, grateful yet again for her quick thinking.

 

* * *

 

Peggy was washing up her cup and saucer when she felt a gentle hand at the small of her back. She glanced around, making sure they were alone.

 

“Thank you,” Steve murmured.

 

“Whatever for?”

 

“For saving my ass back there, again.”

 

Peggy smiled, putting the cup down. She knew they could be interrupted at any moment, which only added to the thrill of Steve’s touch.

 

“It was my pleasure.”

 

“Still,” he replied, “I wanted to thank you.” His body was achingly close to hers, his hand still on her lower back even though she’d partially turned to face him.

 

His face was so close to hers she could feel his breath on her cheek, and when his eyes glanced purposefully at her lips she almost groaned.

 

She licked her lips slowly, relishing in the way Steve’s breath hitched and his fingers curled against her back. Then he jumped back, putting three feet between them, and Peggy heard the footsteps approaching.

 

“Agent Carter,” Steve said with a nod.

 

“Thank you, Captain Rogers, that will be all,” she replied, and he turned on his heel and left.

 

* * *

 

When Peggy finally returned to her desk, it was dark outside. She reached under the desk, running her fingers along the grains in the wood until she felt the familiar edge of an envelope. Pulling it free she ripped it open. It was a sweet note from Steve, thanking her for such an enjoyable evening. It was terribly endearing, but she knew there was more to it than that.

 

She turned over the envelope, searching for the small row of initials on the back.

 

C.H.I.N.A

 

Peggy smiled to herself, familiar with the acronym. _Come home I’m naked already._

 

Steve had been the one to start adding secretive acronyms to the envelopes of their letters, although he’d started rather tamely, marking every letter to her with “S.W.A.L.K.” - Sealed with a loving kiss.

 

Peggy had found it incredibly sweet, and returned the favour with an acronym of her own, “E.N.G.L.A.N.D.” - Every naked girl loves a naked dick. She’d worried after sending it that Steve might find her too forward, but any fears she’d had were put aside when Steve replied with an acronym just as raunchy. He certainly gave as good as he got.

 

She stowed the note in her pocket and gathered her things, anticipation already building.

 

* * *

 

 

“This isn’t what I was promised.” Peggy announced as she shut the door to her tiny flat. Steve was sprawled across her bed, on his front, wearing only his boxer shorts.

 

He looked up from the book he was reading - her book - and smiled a beautiful, conspiratorial grin. He dropped the book on the bedside table and had his boxers off in two seconds flat.

 

“Happy?”

 

“Very,” she replied, hanging up her coat and slipping off her shoes.

 

* * *

 

Hours later they lay wrapped around each other in the dark, hands exploring smooth, naked skin.

 

The air raid sirens had started a while ago. Peggy knew it was foolish to ignore them, but their time together was so scarce, so precious. And besides, she felt invincible with Steve at her side.

 

He planted kisses along her cheek, his nose nuzzling just under her jaw.

 

“You’ve got to stop staring at me in meetings, you’ll give us away.”

 

Steve pulled away, frowning. “I wasn’t –”

 

“You were.”

 

He sighed, sinking down into the pillow. “I’m sorry, did someone say something?”

 

“Not yet, luckily.” She dropped a kiss on his forehead and patted his chest. “But we really ought to be more careful.”

 

“I know,” he replied as he pulled her on top of him.

 

* * *

 

It was long before dawn when Steve woke, but he knew he had to get back to his quarters soon if he was to avoid suspicion. The problem was that Peggy was sprawled on top of him, fast asleep. He moved experimentally, but she only tightened her grip, curling her warm body around him.

 

He rubbed her back, trying to rouse her, but she just sighed contentedly. Steve looked at the clock, trying to figure out how much longer he could feasibly stay.

 

After half an hour of reasoning with himself, he tried moving again. He got himself halfway free before Peggy rearranged herself, wrapping her leg around his hips. Steve sighed, but he knew full well a big part of the problem was his lack of desire to leave her embrace.

 

It took him an hour, in total, to shimmy himself out of Peggy’s grip without waking her. He scrubbed his face clean, knowing he was most likely covered in lipstick smudges, and dressed in the dark. He was just about to leave when he heard Peggy rousing.

 

“Will you turn the wireless on? I really ought to get up.”

 

Her voice was heavy with sleep, and Steve smiled as he turned the dial.

 

He made a fresh pot of tea, knowing Peggy hated to start the day without it. He still didn’t particularly like the stuff, but he was starting to get used to it. Though he guessed a lot of the appeal had to do with the fact that he heavily associated it with Peggy.

 

She was still drowsing when he left the cup and saucer on her nightstand.

 

“You’re a saint,” she murmured, as Steve leant down and pressed a kiss to the corner of her lips.

 

* * *

 

It had been another non-stop day of strategy meetings. Steve and the fellas were close to being able to leave for their next assignment, but there were a lot of i’s to dot and t’s to cross before they could leave. It frustrated the hell out of Steve, but he knew the delay was because so much weighed on their successful completion of the mission.

 

He was hunched over his desk, chewing on his pencil, looking at the map for the hundredth time, when he heard the familiar click of heels on the hard floor.

 

Steve smiled to himself, but didn’t look up. He felt her warm fingers run gently up the back of his neck, making him shiver.

 

“Philips wants you to read over these,” she said softly as she placed a stack of papers on his desk.

 

He nodded, looking up at her.

 

Peggy reached out, and with one finger she slowly traced over his lips.

 

“I know your metabolism works at four times the average speed, but surely the rations here aren’t so meagre that you’ve had to resort to eating pencils.”

 

Steve laughed, enjoying the way his lips moved under Peggy’s finger, still lingering on his bottom lip.

 

He opened his mouth for a witty reply, but the sound of a door slamming down the hall signalled the end of their privacy. Peggy pulled away, looking regretful.

 

“No time to waste.” She nodded to the papers on his desk.

 

He fumbled, trying to find the right thing to say before the moment was over, but Peggy turned, striding towards the door just as Falsworth entered.

 

* * *

 

Steve felt lighter as he walked the halls of the London office. He’d found the perfect Christmas gift for Peggy - a generous bar of her favourite chocolate, Fry’s peppermint cream. He’d wrapped it in brown paper and string and left it on her desk.

 

It turned out to be a hectic day, and he didn’t get to see Peggy at all. He made sure to walk past her desk whenever he could find a reason to, but she was never there.

 

By the end of the day he was desperate to see her, but when he walked by her desk he noticed the gift was still there, untouched. He slipped it back in his pocket for safekeeping, and searched the offices for anyone who might know of Peggy’s whereabouts.

 

He was met with shrugs and blank expressions, apparently no one else knew. It wasn’t unheard of for Steve to go a whole day without interacting with Peggy, but it had been a while since he’d gone a whole day without at least seeing her across a room, or passing her in the hallway. It made him feel a little uneasy.

 

* * *

 

The next day Steve tried to make more enquiries about Peggy, but he kept hitting brick walls. He finally gave up when his questions were met with a round of wolf whistles and hollering from the commandos.

 

It wasn’t until late afternoon when Philips summoned Steve into his office, and motioned for him to sit down.

 

Philips took a long drag from his pipe before looking Steve over in a way that made him feel small again.

 

“I’m only going to ask you this once. Stop asking around about Agent Carter.”

 

“Sir?”

 

“Don’t think I haven’t heard. You’ve been asking after her like a lovesick puppy.”

 

Steve couldn’t help the blush that coloured his cheeks.

 

“What Agent Carter is up to is none of your concern, so I’m gonna need you to stop raising suspicions regarding her whereabouts. Understood?”

 

“You know where she is? Is she in danger?” Steve knew it was the wrong thing to say before the sentence had even left his mouth.

 

“This is a war, son.” Philips leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table as he scowled at Steve. “Have I made myself clear?”

 

“Yes, sir.” Steve nodded.

 

* * *

 

Steve wasn’t sure whether to find Philips’ words reassuring or worrying. On the one hand, at least someone knew Peggy’s whereabouts, but on the other, Philips had made it pretty clear she was on some kind of secretive mission. Steve knew Peggy could handle herself, but that didn’t stop him from worrying.

 

* * *

 

Peggy returned to base feeling triumphant, if a little battered and bruised. The expedition had been a success, although next to no one could know about it, of course. She caught up with the girls in the office, spinning a story about a great aunt who had suddenly been taken ill. They welcomed her back warmly with a fresh pot of tea and an update on all she’d missed in the past few days.

 

She returned to her desk feeling slightly revived and got to work typing up her notes. She wasn’t far in when she noticed a figure looming over her.

 

“You’re back.”

 

She tried to hide her smile, there were several occupied desks around them.

 

“So it would seem,” she replied.

 

Steve didn’t seem to take the hint, so she stood, walking until she found a secluded corner. She didn’t need to look behind her to know Steve was following.

 

“Are you alright?” He asked, standing closer than necessary for a professional catch up. If anyone were to stumble across them it would be clear there was something intimate between them.

 

“I’m perfectly fine.”

 

Steve didn’t seem to know how to reply, so instead he ran his hand gently up and down her arm.

 

“I’ve missed you,” he said earnestly, then fumbled around for something in his pocket. “An early Christmas present,” he explained.

 

She smiled as soon as she peeled back the brown paper and recognised the familiar wrapping. She risked a quick peck on his cheek before stashing the chocolate bar in her pocket.

 

“I’m afraid your Christmas present is back at my flat, you’ll have to collect it later.”

 

Steve’s face lit up. “I’m glad you’re back.”

 

Peggy laughed, “I was only away for five days, Steve.”

 

“Still,” he replied.

 

She could feel the elation practically radiating off of him, it reminded her of her childhood dog, who had always jumped up, tail wagging the second she walked in the door.

 

“You’re terribly sweet.” She lifted a hand to cup his face, swiping her thumb across his cheek, and as Steve leant into her touch his eyes fluttered closed.

 

“It’s about damn time!”

 

Steve’s eyes snapped open at the sound of Dugan’s voice, but it was too late. Peggy could see how it looked from his angle - Steve’s body pressed against hers in a dark corner of the office, their hands gently touching each other.

 

She extracted herself from Steve’s embrace while he turned a wonderful shade of crimson.

 

“You didn’t see anything,” she said as sternly as she could manage.

 

“Oh yes I did - does this mean we can all stop pretending we don’t know you two are together?”

 

“ _Dugan!_ ”

 

“Fine, fine, my lips are sealed.” He made a zipping motion across his lips then threw the imaginary key over his shoulder. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” He yelled as he left them in peace.

 

“I’m sorry, Peggy, I –”

 

She cut him off with a kiss, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders. Steve only hesitated for a second before wrapping one arm around her waist while the other hand cupped her head. He tangled his fingers in her hair, massaging her scalp as their lips moved together desperately.

 

It was freeing, to love Steve so openly when any number of people could walk in, though she knew Dugan well enough to know that despite all his teasing talk he was likely stood nearby blocking the path, allowing them some blessed privacy.

 

When they finally broke apart, Peggy was short of breath. Steve kept one arm around her as he pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and swiped at her lips, cleaning up the smudges. Then he tentatively put the loose strands of her hair back in place, assessing her with a glowing expression.

 

“Am I up to scratch?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

“I think you’ll do.” He set her down and wiped his face on the back of his sleeve.

 

Peggy frowned at the lipstick smudges now on the cuff of his uniform, but couldn’t help the way his boyish action had charmed her. Shaking her head, she undid the small buttons and rolled up his sleeves, hands lingering on his spectacular forearms. She could feel Steve’s breath at her temple.

 

“I’ll see you at my flat tonight, 8 o’clock on the dot.”

 

Steve nodded, “yes ma’am.”

 

He watched her for a moment longer, his face almost touching hers, then took a step back and turned to leave.

 

“Don’t you dare be late!” She called after him, enjoying the view.


End file.
